Senegal woke up to a nation-wide paid holiday on Monday after President Bassirou Diomaye Faye moved swiftly to honour what he called a "historic triumph for national pride," following the country's dramatic victory in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final.
The president's declaration capped an extraordinary night of football, controversy and raw emotion, as Senegal edged hosts Morocco 1-0 after extra time in one of the most explosive finals African football has ever witnessed.
Played under intense pressure at Stade Prince Moulay Abdellah in Rabat, the final stretched to 120 bruising minutes, punctuated by referee disputes, a team walk-off, fan violence and riot police interventions.
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The decisive moment came just five minutes into extra time, when Pape Gueye unleashed a thunderous strike that finally broke Morocco's resistance and handed Senegal their second AFCON title in three tournaments.
But the goal came only after the match teetered on the brink of collapse.
Late in normal time, Senegal were convinced they had scored a winner through Ismaila Sarr, only for the goal to be ruled out for a foul in the build-up. Moments later, referee Jean-Jacques Ndala, after a lengthy VAR review, awarded Morocco a penalty when Brahim Diaz went down in the box.
The decision triggered fury.
Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw, visibly incensed, ordered his players off the pitch in open protest--an almost unheard-of act in a continental final. Star forward Sadio Mané was seen pleading with teammates as they headed for the tunnel, before eventually following them inside himself.
Play was halted for 17 minutes as tempers flared, players clashed, journalists fought in the media area, and fans breached advertising boards, forcing riot police to intervene.
When Senegal were finally persuaded to return, the pressure shifted squarely onto Diaz. Seventeen minutes after the foul, the Real Madrid forward attempted a Panenka penalty--a decision that will haunt Moroccan football for years.
The kick was tame. Edouard Mendy caught it comfortably.
Morocco's moment was gone.
Within minutes of extra time restarting, Senegal struck. From there, they defended grimly through torrential rain, flying debris from the stands, and relentless Moroccan pressure to seal the title.
In the aftermath, Thiaw admitted emotions had boiled over.
"We reacted in the heat of the moment. We accept the referee's errors. We apologise to football," he said, after his post-match press conference was cancelled due to fighting between journalists.
Morocco coach Walid Regragui was less forgiving, branding Senegal's walk-off "shameful" and "not classy."
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Pundits across Africa were split--condemning the protest, but openly questioning the penalty decision. Former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel summed up the mood: "I understand the frustration--but walking off is not what you want to see in a final."
For Senegal, the night belonged to Sadio Mané, who was named Player of the Tournament and may have lifted his final major trophy with the national team.
For Morocco, the pain deepens a 50-year wait for continental glory--made more bitter by a missed penalty, home advantage squandered, and a final that slipped away in chaos.
Back in Dakar and across Senegal, celebrations erupted through the night. By morning, President Faye's declaration of a paid public holiday turned victory into a moment of collective national release.
In the end, Senegal did not just win AFCON 2025. They survived it--through controversy, hostility and disorder--and emerged champions of Africa once again.
